5 Things to Know from your Executive Director

Southern Texas PGA • May 31, 2022

Happy Summer STPGA Members and Associates,


On behalf of our staff, I hope your spring season has been successful at your club and rounds continue to be strong. It was enjoyable to watch a playoff in the PGA Championship and set the stage for a busy summer of golf!


I wanted to spotlight 5 quick items to jump start your week!


PGA Pro Crisis to PGA Pro Solutions – As most of you probably saw, an article was written in Golf Digest recently about our industry and profession. Over the weekend, I was sent this video from Will Robbins, who was one of our main speakers at our Annual Meeting in February. While it spotlights more around teaching and PGA Modern Coach, I do think the video has many messages that can help our PGA Professionals. Click Here to watch.


Tournaments and Playing – The summer months have many playing opportunities. Besides from great events, it’s an opportunity to network, interact with partners, and build relationships. From the 9-9-9 at Whispering Pines to the Pro-Junior at Golfcrest CC to a new Pro-Pro Am-Am in August (announcement coming soon) to the Texas Team Championship at HSB, please consider playing in an event this summer. Click Here for our full schedule.


Do You Know your Pro? – In an effort to showcase the many different people that make up the STPGA, your communication’s team is finding new ways to showcase you! This year we started a new series called Do You Know your Pro? A new video was released today and you can find all 4 of them so far this year by Clicking Here. While these are fun and enjoyable to watch, we are working on bigger projects to showcase what each career track is all about and why PGA Professionals are the leaders in the industry. Enjoy the videos!


Best Junior Golf Program in the Country! – We have more playing opportunities for juniors than ever before, and this is both a direct and indirect benefit for PGA Professionals within our section. From new golfers starting out at Drive, Chip, and Putt to college ready players on the Srixon Prestige Tour, we have something for everyone! Our big summer ending Championship is a week earlier this year on July 26-28 at The Woodlands CC – Palmer Course. Click Here for our newly updated Parent Resources page and Click Here for our newly updated FAQ’s page. Both are great resources for you along with any junior golf parent.


Career Services and Jobs – In case you missed it, hopefully you saw our spotlight on our new Career Services Consultant Doug Turner and the Regional Model update. Most importantly, if you need any help around your job, career opportunities, or just want to chat about ideas, please do not hesitate to call or email Doug or I. Secondly, if your club needs help with searches or going through transitions in any department, the PGA wants to help! PGA ExecuSearch is gaining a lot of momentum and more information about this fee-based search option can be found by Clicking Here.


Let’s have a great summer. Continue to be awesome and please let me know if I can help in any way. Thank you for the opportunity to serve you as your Executive Director.


Thomas Hutton, PGA
Executive Director


PS – Do you follow us on social media for both the section and junior golf? Does your own facility follow us? If not, its one of the best ways to stay in touch and connect!

By Southern Texas PGA • October 16, 2026
The Wait Is Over: Your 2027 Southern Texas PGA Schedule Is Here!
By Sarah Lummus • October 14, 2026
SPRING, TX (October 14, 2026) – The Southern Texas PGA is proud to announce that Steve Termeer, General Manager and Chief Operating Officer of the University of Texas Golf Club, has been named the 2026 STPGA Golf Professional of the Year.  This prestigious honor recognizes Termeer’s more than 35 years of leadership in the golf industry, his commitment to developing the next generation of golf professionals, and his lasting impact on the game through his work at UT Golf Club, the Southern Texas PGA, and numerous charitable organizations. He leads a distinguished group of Section and Chapter award recipients who exemplify the leadership, service, and professionalism that define the Southern Texas PGA. Elected to PGA Membership in 1994, Termeer has built a career around the belief that golf provides an opportunity to positively impact people’s lives. Since the inception of the University of Texas Golf Club, he has served as the club’s General Manager and COO, playing an integral role in building and developing the operation from the ground up.
By Southern Texas PGA • October 9, 2026
MONT BELVIEU, TX (October 9, 2026) – Jay Jurecic of Crystal Falls, Michigan, delivered three days of consistent play at Eagle Pointe Golf Club, capturing the 30th Energy Transfer Texas Senior Open with rounds of 69-68-68 for a tournament total of 8-under-par 205. Entering Friday's final round tied atop the leaderboard with Jerod Turner of Aledo, Texas, Jurecic wasted little time separating himself from the field. Birdies on three of his first four holes gave him an early advantage, but a bogey on the par-4 sixth briefly slowed his momentum. Jurecic quickly settled back into his rhythm, adding another birdie on the ninth to make the turn at 3-under-par for the day, building a three-stroke advantage as the Championship headed into its closing stretch.
By Southern Texas PGA • October 7, 2026
Thirtieth annual event commences with Pro-Am raising $30,000 for college scholarships and junior golf MONT BELVIEU, TX (October 6, 2026) – The Southern Texas PGA is excited to start off the 30th Energy Transfer Texas Senior Open by announcing the winners of the Pro-Am that featured 25 teams representing companies from all over south Texas!
By Southern Texas PGA • September 30, 2026
Gray will lead 8 additional PGA Members to the 2027 PGA Professional Championship in April BEE CAVE, Texas (September 30, 2026) – Bret Gray, PGA Assistant Coach at Sam Houston State University, made history Tuesday evening at Spanish Oaks Golf Club, defeating Derrick Dixon, PGA General Manager at Briggs Ranch in a dramatic one-hole playoff to capture the 58th Southern Texas PGA Section Championship. At 23 years old, Gray became the youngest Section Champion in Southern Texas PGA history, adding his name to the Tommy Aycock Trophy after a championship finish that stretched into the sunset. For Gray, the victory also marked another chapter in a journey that has been closely connected to the Southern Texas PGA from the beginning. A product of STPGA Junior Golf program, Gray took every step within the STPGA’s journey from Little Linkster tournaments to Prestige Tour to attending Sam Houston State University and graduating from the PGA Golf Management Program to now being a Class A PGA Member. Gray entered Tuesday's final round one stroke off the lead after opening the Championship with a 1-under-par 70, sitting tied for second behind round one leader Dixon. He wasted little time making his move, recording birdies on Nos. 2, 3 and 7 to build a two-stroke lead early in the final round. Dixon responded as the round progressed, finding birdies on Nos. 8 and 10 before eventually reclaiming the lead on the back nine. A bogey at No. 9 proved costly for Gray, who steadied himself with pars the rest of the way. Dixon carried the lead to the 18th green with an opportunity to close out the Championship, but his final putt caught the edge and stayed out, sending the two back to No. 18 for a playoff as the sun began to set over Spanish Oaks. Both players found the middle of the fairway with their playoff tee shots before producing two strong approaches, each leaving a birdie opportunity from inside 15 feet on opposite sides of the hole. Dixon again saw his birdie attempt catch the edge and stay out, leaving Gray with an opportunity to end the Championship. Gray converted, rolling in the birdie putt to become the 58th Southern Texas PGA Section Champion. The Championship also determined eight qualifiers for the 2027 PGA Professional Championship. Gray will be joined by Derrick Dixon, PGA; Roman O'Rourke, PGA; Ben Willman, PGA; Gilbert Mendez, PGA; Robert Scott, PGA; Wilfredo Sanchez, PGA; and Bobby Gates, PGA.
By Southern Texas PGA • September 22, 2026
David von Hoffmann, PGA – The Journey Makes the Professional
By Southern Texas PGA • September 16, 2026
HOUSTON, Texas – September 16, 2026 – Jimmy Keener, PGA Associate at Briggs Ranch Golf Club, and Troy Schleicher, PGA Life Member, claimed victories at the 2026 Jet Access Tradition Championship following two days of competition at Lakeside Country Club in Houston. The championship featured 130 Southern Texas PGA Members and Associates and marked the fourth and final Major Championship of the season before the Southern Texas PGA Section Championship at Spanish Oaks Golf Club in Bee Cave, Texas. Keener entered the final round as part of a four-way tie for the lead at 4-under alongside Alden Wallace, PGA, Erik Knudsen, PGA, and Michael Milstead. He wasted little time making a move in the final round, recording an eagle on the par-5 third hole to jump-start his championship run. With the leaderboard remaining tight throughout the day, Keener delivered his biggest stretch when it mattered most, closing his round with three consecutive birdies on Holes 16, 17 and 18. The late charge gave Keener a two-stroke cushion coming down the stretch, but Alden Wallace, PGA Teaching Professional at ProMotion Golf Academy, kept the pressure on until the final hole. Needing an eagle on the par-4 18th to force a playoff, Wallace nearly delivered, with her second shot from the fairway skimming the hole before settling close. She would convert the birdie to finish one stroke back and cap a strong runner-up performance.
By Southern Texas PGA • September 11, 2026
Aaron Green, PGA – From Opportunity to Leadership
By Southern Texas PGA • August 26, 2026
CORPUS CHRISTI (August 25, 2026) – Bret Gray, PGA Assistant Coach at Sam Houston State University and Omar Uresti, PGA Life Member emerged victorious at the 2026 Player's Cup at Corpus Christi Country Club. Gray claimed the Open Division title at 9-under par, while Uresti won the Senior Division at 8-under after defeating Carl Baker, PGA Life Member, in a playoff. Gray and Uresti both opened the championship with bogey-free rounds to take control of their respective divisions. Gray finished Round 1 at 6-under to lead the Open Division, while Uresti put himself in a strong position atop the Senior Division leaderboard at 7-under to lead by three.  Conditions became more difficult during the second round as the wind picked up across Corpus Christi Country Club. Gray entered the final day knowing bogeys could happen in the tougher conditions, but remained committed to his game plan and focused on bouncing back whenever mistakes occurred. That approach helped him maintain his lead and complete a wire-to-wire victory at 9-under par. “Leading after the first round, I didn’t want to change my approach,” Gray said. “I knew that if I played my game, that would allow me to play my best. At the same time, I knew the winds were going to pick up and that bogeys could happen, so I was more focused on bouncing back and recovering when they did.” During the final round, Grey got off to a fast start with 4 birdies in the first seven holes but as he was expecting made a couple of bogeys on the back nine. His birdie on the reachable par-5 15 was critical to winning the title. In the Senior Division, Uresti carded four bogeys on the front nine of Round 2 and briefly surrendered the lead as Baker closed the gap. Baker birdied five out of six holes starting on hole seven to take the lead, but Uresti responded with four birdies on the back nine to eventually tie Baker. While both players had birdie putts on 18, extra holes were needed with Uresti making a birdie on the first playoff hole to secure the Senior Division title. “I had a rough start to the day, and Carl played great, so I knew I was going to have to play extremely well on the back nine to keep it within reach,” Uresti said. “Carl’s putting was lights out, and thankfully I started getting birdies to drop. It was a lot of fun out there today with some great competition.” The Southern Texas PGA extends its appreciation to Joe Mitchell, PGA Head Professional, and the entire staff at Corpus Christi Country Club for hosting the championship. The Section also thanks Vortex, Prize Possessions, Clubessential/ForeUP/BlueGolf, GT Golf Supply, Club Car, HUB, PRG, Hole-in-One USA, and AndersonOrd for their support of the Player's Cup. The STPGA would also like to thank the Port of Corpus Christi, Kleberg Bank, Buick GMC North, andAnderson Alexander Law for their support of our Pro-Am prior to the event and the overall championship.
By Julia Doucet • August 5, 2026
The Southern Texas PGA is proud to announce the launch of the STPGA Hall of Fame , established to honor PGA Professionals whose leadership, service, mentorship, competitive excellence, and instructional impact have helped shape the legacy of golf across Southern Texas. Candidates will be evaluated through five core pillars: Leadership Recognizing those who have inspired their peers, strengthened the profession, and maintained a distinguished professional reputation. Service Honoring PGA Professionals with a sustained record of service to the Association, their communities, and the growth of the game. Mentorship Celebrating those who have dedicated their careers to educating, supporting, and advancing fellow PGA Professionals. Competitive Record Recognizing individuals with a proven and sustained record of excellence in competitive play. Instructional Leadership Honoring those who have made a meaningful impact on player development and elevated performance at any level of the game.
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